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HP Recommended
Officejet 3831

The printer used to work perfectly. It then started printing half a page and just spitting out half finished documents. 

 

In an attempt to fix the issue, I've spent the best part of 2 day troubleshooting and reading people's community posts. 

 

I've installed the print doctor (which I saw a lot of people saying fixed their problem). It keeps sending me around in a loop. Saying to uninstall the software. Restart the printer and the laptop.  Reinstall the software from HP Customer Support. So now the printer wont print anything apart from test pages. When I send something to print, it just says error printing and does nothing. 

 

The HP Print Doctor keeps saying the software is the reason but I'm using the software that it has recommended, from the  HP Customer Care website. 

 

I can't find any number to contact any actual customer support to talk to.  No matter where I go for support I keep getting sent round in a continuous loop of frustration.

3 REPLIES 3
HP Recommended

@JadeLL11, Welcome to HP Support Community!

 

I recommend you delete the driver and root level and retry, follow the steps below: 

  

1) In Windows, search for and open Programs and features 

2) Select your HP Printer 

3) Select Uninstall 

4) In Windows, search for and open Devices and printers 

5) In the Devices and Printers windows look for your HP printer. If you see it listed right-click on it and choose ‘Delete’ or ‘Remove Device’ 

6) Open up the run command with the “Windows key + R” key combo. 

7) Type printui.exe /s and click Ok. (Note: there is a space in between “printui.exe”

😎 Click on the “Drivers” tab 

9) Look for the HP Printer driver. If you see it Click on it and click Remove at the bottom 

10) Select Ok 

11) Select Apply and Ok on the Print Server Properties windows 

12) Close Devices and Printers.

 

Now, download and install the full-featured software from here. Try printing.

 

If the issue persists, I would suggest you try the Windows built-in drivers. Follow the steps below:

 

•    Go to Control Panel - Devices and Printers - Click on "Add a printer" and follow the on-screen instructions.

•    When the page prompts for the drivers, select "Windows update". The driver list will be updated.

•    Click HP, Hewlett Packard, or Hewlett-Packard in the Manufacturer pane, and then click the name of your printer in the Printers pane.

 

Refer to this document HP Printers - Installing and Using the Windows Built-in Print Driver for help.

 

Hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

 

Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

TEJ1602
I am an HP Employee

HP Recommended

Thanks for your response. 

 

I have followed all the steps you've recommended to delete the driver and root level. This sounded like a really promising solution. I'm still having the same issue. It's still saying the driver is incorrect in the HP Doctor. 

 

I've just tried to install the printer directly through windows control panel as you've suggested in your follow up steps (guided by the link you provided). So my computer automatically found the printer and 'installed' it no problem. I tried to print a test page upon finishing installation and got an error again.

 

 Untitled.jpg

 

When you say "  When the page prompts for the drivers, select "Windows update". The driver list will be updated.". I didn't receive any prompt. It just found the printer and installed it without any questions or issues. So this is the only step I have not been able to complete in your advice. 

 

Untitled 2.jpg

 

This is what happens when I try to test print.

 

Thank you for your help. I feel lost. 

HP Recommended

@JadeLL11

 

Thanks for replying!

 

Restart the print spooler and try uninstalling the drivers-

 

Press “Windows key” + “r” to get the “Run” window.

Type "services.msc" to get Services – Go to “Print spooler” – Right-click and “Stop” the service.

Now again open "Run" - Type “spool” and ok - Go to PRINTERS folder - delete everything in that folder.

Go to services again - Start the print spooler.

 

Now uninstall and reinstall the printer driver.

 

Hope this helps! Keep me posted. 

 

Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

TEJ1602
I am an HP Employee

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